2020-Still a blessed year!

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him,
and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3: 5 -6

Clearly, 2020 was an atypical year for all of us, one that we will remember and look back on. Through the different phases of the COVID 19 virus, from Spring to Winter, we were unsure of what to expect and how to adjust wisely. I remember our Board of Directors discussion in the Spring in which we decided to have faith and not refuse any needy child or the elderly, nor stop any of our current programs. A few months later, when donations decreased, our faith was tested, but God directed our paths.

What we feared would be one of the most challenging years turned into the year that we did the most for God’s hurting people. Here is a short glance over the landmarks of 2020:

– The BOL family reached a new milestone of 93 children served 24/7 by our ministry’s Children’s Home and Youth Transition Program.

The BOL home has received constant attention to be able to offer the children a decent life. Little did we know back in 2019 that the yard project where we concentrated significant support from our ministry friends would end up such a blessing. In 2020 it was a refuge to the children who became isolated inside the Home’s fence for three solid months and then six more months of very little interaction with the outside world. God had put this on our minds and your hearts just in time. We kept calling this the Ark, and just like the Ark, it was ready on time.

-The Youth Transition Program now gives shelter, education, and Christian mentorship to 30 young adults.

It is a blessing to make a difference for so many, but growth also requires more housing. So in January 2021, we will expand from four apartments to six to meet the present and future needs. We are happy to see that the BOL teens are among the most active in the local church and take school seriously. Each day God’s fingerprint in their lives is more and more apparent.

– Our Feeding Program went from receiving a couple of aid containers a year to ten food and aid containers, plus many tons of food from the local food banks.

As the first COVID wave came with all its restrictions and isolation, it was a blessing that a specific law allowed BOL to continue traveling, offering help to those in need. With all the Feeding Centers closed, we supplied extra food items through family packs. We praise God for the many tons of food, clothing, blankets, and hygiene items we delivered to the poor. We distributed so much that we could decrease our rented storage space to save money in a challenging year.

– We show “We Care” to 75 widows and elderly persons every month.

Romania’s elderly were the most vulnerable group in front of the virus threat. Besides a lack of finances and burdensome health conditions, going to the market for necessary supplies was risky for them. You enabled BOL to take responsibility and make a significant change for part of them. With your continued assistance and support from Feed the Hungry, we plan to keep this project going and add more widows and elderly in 2021.

Dear brothers and sisters, please know that we share these with you not to boast. We consider ourselves to be just simple servants of our great God, but what seemed to be a year in which Satan was shaking our faith turned to a year of outstanding achievements for God’s glory. We do boast about your love for God and His children, and this love has proven to be stronger than any virus, isolation, or financial difficulty.

We are deeply honored to be serving God together, making a difference for His hurting children. Thank you for your involvement in 2020, and we trust that we will keep your friendship in the year ahead of us.

Your BOL Team